Luminous-tube sign



W. I. STAAF, JR

LUMINOUS TUBE SIGN Filed March 21, 1929 INVENTOR Patented Feb. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES LUMINOUS-TUBE SIGN Application filed March 21, 1929. Serial No. 348,897.

This invention relates to luminous tube signs and particularly to the supporting of the luminous tube on is base.

Luminous tube signs, such as the so-called comprise a continuous glass tube bent to the desired configuration and having a rarified gas content with an electrode at each end of the tube, and are widely used in advertising and display signs. These ubes are ordinarily supported in front of a panel, and they are held in spaced relation to the panel by insulating supports, known to the trade as elevation posts. Due to the high voltage current which flows through the tube, the elevation posts must afford ample insulation between the tube and the supporting panel.

Elevation posts as heretofore used have "eon signs,

i been rigid and afford no flexibility in the mounting of the tube above its panel. The tubes are more or less irregular, so that at some points they are closer to the panels than at other points. It has been proposed to make the elevation posts adjustable as to.

leight in order to take care of these irregularities, but as heretofore constructed adjustable elevation posts have not been entirely satisfactory.

According to the present invention there is provided a luminous tube sign wherein the luminous tube is resiliently supported in front of its panel or other supporting base whereby the tube is protected from mechanical shock and from strains which are placed )1! the tube when rigid elevation posts are employed.

According to the present invention there is further provided an elevation post of novel construction which may be conveniently ad- -usted to the necessary height and which, at the same time, affords a high degree of insulation.

The invention may be readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings. in which Figure 1 represents a side elevation of an elevation post embodying my invention, a portion of the luminous tube which it sup ports also being shown;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but at right angles thereto;

Figure 3 is an assembly view showing a luminous tube sign supported at a plurality of points on a base by elevation posts of the type disclosed in Figures 1 and 2; and

Figure 4 is a detail view of the glass portion of the elevation post apart from the spring with which it cooperates.

eferring first to Figure 3, 2 designates a base and 3 is a luminous tube which may be of any well-known or preferred type and which can have any configuration desired. The luminous tube is supported in spaced relation to the base 2 by means of a plurality of elevation posts designated generally as 4.

Each of the elevation posts is comprised of two parts-an insulating post portion 5 and a helical spring portion 6.

The part- 5 has a stem portion 5 at the top of which is an integral rest 5 on which the luminous tube sets, the rest being curved to conform somewhat to the tube. lVires 7 are passed around the tube and under the seat portion 5 for holding the tube on he support. Near the lower end of the stem portion 5 is a projection 5.

The helical spring 6 has an inside diameter sufficiently large to permit the stem portion 5* to be inserted therein. The project-ion 5 projects between the convolutions of the spring. By turning the member 5 relatively to the spring 6 the projection 5 will travel up or down the spring. the spring acting as a thread. In this way the post is made adjustable to any desired height. The projection 5 is of such shape that it spreads the couvolutions at the point where its projects between them, creating sufficient friction to hold the member 5 in the position to which it is adjusted with respect to the spring member 6.

At the bottom of the helix or spring 6 is a straight extension 8 having an eye 9 at the end thereof through which a screw or other securing means may pass, such screw being driven into the base 2.

The elevation post as thus constructed can be easily adjusted to the necessary height. The spring member 6 provides a resilient cushion between the base and the tube so as to avoid placing thetube under mechanical strain in mounting it on the base and it absorbs shock and vibration between the base and the tube. Likelihood of breakage both in transportation and in the subsequent erection and use of the sign is very materially reduced by reason of the cushion support for the tube.

The member 5 is preferably made of glass because of the high insulating qualities of glass and the lesser tendency of conducting impurities to accumulate and remain on the surface of the glass. Adjustable supports as heretofore made have been formed of hard rubber. Hard rubber more readily accumulates a surface collection of dirt sufiicient to form a leakage path for current from the tube to the base. If the leakage current is sufficient, the glass will be punctured and the tube rendered inoperative.

\Vhile the elevation post as herein disclosed affords both an adjustable support and a resilient support, it may be manufactured at a costwhich is comparable to the cost of'elevation posts of the type now generally used.

Vhile I have shown a. preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that this embodiment is for the purpose of illustration and that the invention is not restricted to the particular construction there-' in disclosed.

I claim:

1. An elevator post for luminous tube signs arranged to be mounted between the outer face of a support and the tube to be supported, comprising a helical spring and a rod of insulating material, the one end of the rod being retained between the ends of the spring while the other end thereof is provided with a tube supporting means, means for directly securing the post to the outer face of a support, and means on the portion of the rod Within the spring coacting therewith whereby the length of the post can be varied, the

overall length of the post' when positioned being beyond the outer face of the support.

2. An elevation post for luminous tube signs arranged to be mounted between the outer face of asupport and the tube to be supported, comprising a helical spring of substantially uniform diameter and a rod of insulating material, the one end of the rod being retained between the ends of the spring while the other end is provided with a tube receiving seat, the free end of the spring beyond the end of the rod having a laterally projecting eye for receiving a fastening means for securing the post to the outer face of a support, and a projection on the rod near the end within the spring extending between the convolutions of the spring whereby the length of the m hand.

) WERNER I. STAAF, JR. 

